Winds of Change

Does the Church need to be reformed? Of course. It is natural. The whole of creation is constantly changing; evolving toward God’s predetermined omega point. So, why should not human structures and celebrations keep in touch with the emerging shifts in human consciousness and spirituality. Stagnation is the first sign of a diminishing relevance. This is manifest in the growing “enlightened secularism”, which grows when people, facing exciting world changes, cannot establish a successful religious co-relative. Truth is eternal: it is the movement of facts that confuses and confounds those perilously hanging on to childhood myths and Sunday School lessons.

For all the criticism, the Church is sensitive to the people’s need to establish a link with the Almighty, but, within the environment that is ruled by the new Baal. The attraction to his high alter, based on empiricism, is irresistible. The elite see themselves as being in control of their own destinies, based on scientific facts and technology. It relegates religion to irrelevance; its practice an opium of the masses. In the Sixties, through Vatican Council II, the Church sought to establish its ground for the Twentieth Century. With mixed reactions we have moved on. The Church of today feels foreign to many who developed their spirituality prior to VC II.

We argued our points of view. Some finding that the Church was going too far from its historical roots. Others felt that some were dragging their feet and not implementing change fast enough. The debate between “Traditionalists” and “Modernists” continues today. Dissent is good for the health of the Church and its survival in the Twenty-first century. But, there are emerging social challenges to dogma, the hierarchy, morality and socially accepted values. The faithful need guidance and reassurances. We are fortunate to have a broad-minded Holy Father, who empathizes with the faithful and leads the magisterium in the way of compassion. Grace of the Holy Spirit assures that which is to come is good.